


Air (Mandy)

by Burgie



Series: SSOWeek April 2016 [6]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 21:10:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7729876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mandy gets permission to leave the bunker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Air (Mandy)

Mandy stood in front of the heavy door. She knew where it led to, but she wasn’t allowed through it. She was seven years old, that was plenty old enough to go outside on her own. Mark wasn’t allowed out either, but he was her baby brother and her mother was super protective of him. Evie was allowed out, and she was six! Maybe she could just…

The door gave off a spark at Mandy’s touch, and a lightning rune glowed into existence on the thick metal. Uh oh. That was mama’s rune, which meant…

“Mandy!” Her mama appeared in a shower of sparks, black grease smudged through her dark blonde hair. She didn’t look angry, though.

“The door hurt me, mama,” said Mandy, tears in her eyes. Her mama pulled her into her arms, and Mandy sniffled.

“I know,” said her mama gently. “I’m sorry, but you can’t go outside.”

“Why not?” asked Mandy. “Evie’s mum said that fresh air is good.”

“The air in the bunker is fresh,” said her mama. “Or it is now that the filtration system is going again.” There was a slight rumble underfoot. “And now I have to fix it again.” Her mama sighed and let her go. “Just don’t go outside, okay?”

“But why?” asked Mandy. Her mama was already gone, though, in another shower of sparks. Mandy grumbled, then opened her mouth and began to sing just like her mother had taught her.

“Hello, Morgan,” said her mother, appearing from one of the corridors. “What’s wrong?”

“The door hurt me,” said Mandy. She didn’t mind that she had two different names, it just made her cool.

“Oh. Yeah, it’s supposed to do that,” said her mother, looking away. Mandy stamped her foot in frustration.

“But why?” asked Mandy. “It doesn’t hurt Evie.”

“It’s… complicated,” said her mother. “I’m sorry it hurt you, sweetie. If it makes you feel better, I can’t go outside either. See?” She touched the door, and a spark bit her hand too. Her mama appeared again.

“Don’t do that,” said her mama, and disappeared again, much to her mother’s amusement.

“Has your mama taught you about forcefields yet?” asked her mother.

“No,” said Mandy. “She just taught me how to fix cars. And the heating.”

“Hmm. I need to talk to the druids about magical education, I know Elizabeth wanted to start a school,” said her mother, talking to herself as she sometimes tended to do. “Anyway, the door is part of a forcefield. It’s to keep us safe.”

“But why?” asked Mandy.

“Ask your mama,” said her mother. She looked sad, so Mandy let the subject go. There was another rumble, this one more violent, and the distant sound of her mama saying a word that Mandy wasn’t allowed to repeat (except in giggles with Evie). Instantly, the air became thicker and smoky.

“What was that?” asked Mandy.

“Fire drill,” said her mother. “Come on, this is the only time that we can go out, because we have to.”

“I never want to meet a fire drill,” said Mandy. “Can mama fight it?” Her mother laughed as she walked up the stairs.

“No no, that sound was the air filtration system exploding slightly,” said her mother. “A fire drill is when everyone has to get outside. Back when this bunker was first built, they wouldn’t have been necessary.”

“Oh,” said Mandy. Suddenly, it hit her that they were going outside, and she ran ahead, tugging her mother by the hand. “Come on, mum! Let’s go outside!”

Mandy got the honour of pulling the heavy front door open, and then she ran out into the waiting arms of her mama.

“The air is so fresh!” Mandy exclaimed, and twirled around in delight. She giggled. “It smells so good!” She beamed up at her mama. “Thank you, mama!”

“Did you break it on purpose?” her mother asked her mama.

“Maybe,” said her mama. “But look at how happy she is, Kitty.”

“I guess.” Her mother still looked worried, and now looked around in concern. “How long until it’s fixed?”

“Not long. But here.” Her mama’s hand glowed, and a golden dome appeared around the bunker. “It’s the same forcefield that was in the walls of the bunker.”

“So I can go outside more often now?” asked Mandy, seeing that her mother relaxed slightly.

“Oh, alright,” said her mother with a slight smile. “But take someone with you at all times.”

“I will!” Mandy ran off, then, looking for her friend or her brother to share the good news with them.


End file.
